Top Istanbul club Besiktas on Wednesday appointed former international star Sergen Yalcin as coach, the official Anadolu news agency reported.

Yalcin, 47, who made his name as a brilliant playmaker at the Super Lig club, joins Besiktas from Yeni Malatyaspor where he took over as coach only last year.

Yalcin, a gifted but temperamental player, was capped 37 times for the national side.

He replaces Abdullah Avci, sacked last Friday after the club was dumped out of the Turkish Cup by second division Erzurumspor.

"The Black Eagles" currently sit seventh in the Super Lig -- 11 points adrift of leaders Sivasspor.